Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-03-31
Rirmingham.

about two miles wide between Red
mountain and Sand mountain. 1t is
laid out with perfect regularity, the
direction of the streets being determined
by the CONFORMATION of the valley. The
streets are numbered and run nearly
north and south. while the avenues, also
numbered, cross them at right angles.
The number of railroad tracks, with
their labyrinth of switches crowded
with freight cars waiting to be unloaded,
is the first thing TO strike the new
arrival with establishment. The new
Union Depot, recently completed. is an
elegant structure aud large enough to
accommodate the three main trunk lines
that pass through this city, the Georgia
Pacific, Louisville and Nashville and
the Cincinnati Southern. The Kansas
City. Memphis and Birmingham rail-
road is almost completed and will pro-
badly run through trains by June.
There are numerous other roads now in
process of construction, having Bir-
mingham as their objective point. AL
though compared with older towns of
the same size in the North, the city has
a new and crude appearance; still, there
are many substantial business structures
and residences in all parts of the city.
Street cars and steam dummies run in
every direction and more are in course
of construction, which the travel on
those already built seems to warrant.
The streets are crowded, while hundreds
of men are employed in making road
way, cutters and drainage. Colored
laborers seem to be plentiful and some
have economical enough to be able to
purchase property and realize on it.
The real estate agents are as thick as
flies around honey-pot,, and each one
has little plat of city lots which he
can sell you cheaper than anyone else,
and on which you are sure to make q
fortune.
OF course, the values on real estate
are now very high, some of the most
desirable business lots being held as
high as 81, 900 to $1,000 per foot front
and doubt whether person could
buy desirable residence lot within the
city limits for less than $40 per foot.
The days of selling acres in the neigh
borhood are passed and they talk of
nothing now but front feet
A comical story is told of an auction
Ger, who, wishing to dispose of nag,
and sharing the excitement of the hour
shouted to the crowd ''What am offer
ed for this horse per front foot?''
1t is very difficult, at present, to Sc
cure accommodation as hotels and board
ing houses are filled. Rents are very
high and even the front windows of
store-rooms are re-rented for S75 to 800
month. Incidents are on record of
houses being built complete In two days.
The persons who have prCfited the most
are those who went there two or three
years ago, but. even now, not day
passes but that large sums are made off
reasonable investments. There are a
good many instances of those who have
recently grown rich through the rapid
increase of value of real estate. 1t is
reported that an organ grinder, who
used to grind out the melodies of Dixie
and 'Suwanee River in this region
some years ago, is now stock broker
and one of the richest men in town. A
story is also told of Mississlppian, who
four years ago, in state of intoxica-
ton, unconsciouslY bought a city lot
from the Elyton Land Company, and
who, on getting sober and missing his
money, thought it had been stolen.
During the next two years he received
notice from the land company that
notes were due and on coming to
Birmingham to see what was meant,
found that he had unknowingly bought
lot for 5000, which had then increased
in value to $4,000.
This Elyton Land Company, by the
way, is the largest and richest in the
city. 1t was organized in 1875 and 1878
was almost bankrupt. Its stock at that
time could be bought at % cents on a
dollar. The company afterwards sue
ceeded and now the share that could in
1878 be bought for $25 can not be OBJ
tanned for $4,000. The company has
handled nearly all the real estate in this
city and still owns many city lots and
lots on the Highlands which will
eventually be the fine residence portion
of the city. They declared dividend
last year of $50 per cent.
The city has already metropolitan
appearance, with electric lights, tele-
phone, city and merchant police and
belt railroad. The postoffice and de-
livery system, although recently in
creased, are still very inadequate, and
during the day long row of people
stand in front OF the office waiting their
turn to get letter. The people are
very cosmopolitan in character, and
are mostly strangers to each other,
while resident of year is considered
pioneer. The drainage of the city
has always been a problem, as there is
no large stream near; but it is to be
hoped that it will eventually be solved
by bringing water from \ lake, some
six miles away. A canal, from the lake,
is now almost completed which will
supply the city with spring water and
carry away the drainage by system of
flushing the sewers. The sanitary ar
rangements will thus be complete